Friday, September 19, 2008

Talent v/s Temperament

In reply to Pakistan's 223, India was cruising along at 147 for one and looked all set to take a big first innings lead. Pakistan needed a miracle but Rahul Dravid looked all set and Sachin Tendulkar was all fit after the back injury at Chennai/Kotla which was going to hurt his career for quite some time in the future to come.

Bang!!!! A scorching Yorker dismantled the timber behind Rahul Dravid. More than 100,000 people welcomed the little master only to see him getting a golden duck for the first time in his career to a Yorker which was even better than the previous one. A star was born or proved the shine it had shown in his very short career so far was a promising one – Shoaib Akhtar. Indians wondered, like they had done for so many years, on how Pakistan keeps getting timely replacements for their soon to be gone speedsters. Pakistan was proud to see that someone could take the lead once the two W's would go in next few years and by than he would get the traditional training of conventional banana swing, mysterious reverse swing, toe crushing Yorkers and beheading bouncers. For the next couple of ODI series, he was the biggest tormentors for the gentlemen holding willow in their shaking hands.

He used to be a bowler who needed nothing in terms of pitch, weather, exceptional fielding or umpires' help to send batting orders packing. He had the hostility of Walsh but he lacked his honesty towards the game, he had the guile of Akram but he lacked his grit, he had the curving swing of Younis but he lacked his commitment. However, he never needed the poison spitting mouths of Mcgrath or Donald like those three. In his career he just displayed glimpses of his talent but when he did, he looked like a champion and a true crowd puller. You would love to watch him bowl no matter if he is in your side, against you or you are a neutral viewer. However, what followed is not-so-pleasant story. He became a classical case of "would have been" and temperament letting down the talent or an ultimate wastage.

I am writing on him because today an article attracted my attention which had his mention. The article stated that PCB has finally allowed him to play in the domestic 20-20 competition. After the reduction in ban (now it is only for eighteen months) and a splendid performance for Kolkata Knight Riders in his brief stint, this PCB decision must have added to his comfort level.

Anyways, what essentially I wanted to point out here is the role of temperament and talent in somebody's life or say, career at least. Talent can definitely give you a start but temperament and hard work has to be there for the support or else everything just turn out ugly. Already-very-much-discussed Kambli-Tendulkar saga is another example in this context. I believe, sports is just one area, there are a lot more places where this concept apply.

Even in real life, people often lose their bearings once they taste the success. I consider success to be a drug which rather than making people addict of it, turns them away from itself. And the worst part is that there are very less examples in this world, where people have made a comeback after falling into the depth of success-aftermath. Hence, I think that people need to be very cautious while handling the success and if they fail in doing so – they should still feel optimistic with these lines and fight for a winning comeback:

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that."

Thought for the day

Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself.. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.